Saturday, January 18, 2014

Newly appointed Pueblo, Colo. bishop promises to give his all

Pope Francis has named the next bishop of Pueblo, Colorado: Monsignor
Stephen J. Berg of Fort Worth, Texas, a trained pianist who became a
priest after a career as a business executive.
“You will have all I have to give,” Bishop-designate Berg, 62, told the
people of his diocese at a Jan. 15 press conference in Pueblo. “I will
also give my best to all of my people, especially the Hispanic
ministry.”
Bishop-designate Berg, whose new diocese is predominantly rural and
mountain, cited his own background in rural life in Montana and Texas.
“My happiest moments in ministry were in the rural ministry of northwest
Texas in the wide open spaces,” he said.
Addressing his new diocese’s priests, he said “We need each other. I need your support, and I promise you will have mine.”
He will succeed Bishop Fernando Isern, who retired in June 2013 for health reasons.
Bishop-designate Michael F. Olson of Fort Worth said his diocese is
“very proud and joyful” at the appointment. “I personally am happy for
him and the Diocese of Pueblo. At heart, Bishop-elect Berg is a good
priest, a kind man, a true Christian and a wise leader.”
The bishop-to-be is a native of Miles City, Mont., the Diocese of Pueblo
said. He is the oldest of the 10 children of Connie and Jeanne Berg and
an uncle to 27 nieces and nephews. He is a nephew of Bishop emeritus
Joseph L. Charron of Des Moines, Iowa.
He attended Catholic schools in Miles City and graduated from Sacred
Heart High School in 1979. He studied at Gonzaga University in
Washington and graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in
1973 with a bachelor’s degree in piano performance.
Bishop-designate Berg on Jan. 15 noted his past in Colorado. “The best
times of my life seem to be coming together, and they seem to fit. I am
very at peace with this situation,” he said.
The future bishop earned a master’s degree in piano performance from
Eastern New Mexico University in 1975 and a master’s of divinity from
the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio in the 1990s.
He taught music at Tarrant County College in Fort Worth and worked for
14 years as a manager and an executive in the retail nursery industry.
In 1993 he entered Assumption Seminary and in 1999, Bishop Charron
ordained him to the priesthood.
Bishop-designate Berg has served as parochial vicar, pastor and
administrator at several Diocese of Fort Worth parishes.

Bishop Kevin
Vann named him the diocese’s vicar general in 2008. He also served as
moderator of the curia of the Fort Worth diocese and as an adjunct
spiritual director at Dallas’ Holy Trinity Seminary.
Pope Benedict XVI named him a monsignor in March 2012. He is a member of
the Knights of Columbus, the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre and
the International Serrans.
When Bishop Vann was moved to the Diocese of Orange, Calif. in December
2012, Msgr. Berg was chosen as administrator of the Fort Worth diocese.
Bishop-designate Olson said that Msgr. Berg’s time as pastor, vicar
general and diocesan minister has prepared him for his new assignment.
Bishop-designate Berg will be ordained a bishop and installed as head of the Pueblo diocese on Feb. 27.
Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver welcomed the appointment, saying
that the “Church will be enriched by his enthusiastic and energetic
presence, and I am sure that the faithful will appreciate his love for
Colorado.”
The archbishop praised the bishop-designate’s “rich family life,” his
love of music, and his experience in both the corporate world and church
life.
“I and the faithful of Northern Colorado pray that God will bless his
ministry here in Colorado and make it bear abundant fruit!” Archbishop
Aquila said in a Jan. 15 statement.
Bishop-designate Berg said in a statement he was “humbled and deeply moved” at his appointment.
“I know Colorado to be a beautiful land of beautiful people and I look
forward to serving the faithful of Pueblo as their shepherd in Christ. I
eagerly anticipate our future together as we grow and build our local
church.”
The Pueblo diocese covers 48,000 square miles of territory across
southern Colorado. It has about 64,000 Catholics in 53 parishes, 44
missions and four Catholic schools.